Worthy Brothers
by recklesslove
Summary: A different way Faith could have ended. Sam offers himself to the Reaper in place of Dean.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own "Supernatural" or its characters, or the episode "Faith".

As the Reaper laid his hands on either side of Dean's head, Dean's thoughts were of his brother. _I'm sorry Sammy,_ he thought desperately, staring into Death's eyes. _I don't want to leave you._ Dean tried to move, tried to fight, but the ancient gnarled hands held fast, squeezing until Dean thought his head would explode from the pressure.

"Dean!" Sam's desperate cry, so near now, reached Dean's ears, the ears that had just begun to leak trickles of blood. Dean didn't know how Sam had found him, but he had always known he would come. He didn't want his Sammy seeing him like this though, witnessing his death. Sam had been through enough in his life.

"Take me instead," Sam said, striding closer, and Dean fought to scream. _No Sam_, he thought, tears springing to his eyes. He prayed that their connection would somehow enable Sam to read his thoughts, but knew with deep anguish that nothing would stop Sam from sacrificing himself for Dean.

The Reaper's eyes landed on Sam, though his hands remained on Dean. Blood began leaking from Dean's nose, and he felt his body begin to give out, but he continued to fight to stay alive, feeling Sam's presence even though he couldn't see him.

"Dean's worthier than I am," Sam pleaded, his voice choked with sobs as he watched the life leave his brother's body. "He's saved my life more times than I can remember. He's forgiven me for more things than I can count. He's always looked out for me, and protected me, and he's not the one who caused the deaths of our mother and my girlfriend-I am."

_Oh Sammy, no_. Tears fell freely from Dean's pain-filled eyes, and his breath was becoming ragged, each breath like a hole torn in his chest. Suddenly the pain stopped, and as Dean fell backwards onto the grass, his horrified eyes saw why.

Judging the Reaper's location from Dean's, Sam had thrust his hand onto the Reaper's arm. Sam's knees had instantly buckled as the Reaper had let go of Dean, and now Sam was kneeling on the ground, the Reaper's hands pressing on his temples. A steady stream of blood found its way from Sam's ears, nose, and mouth as his eyes rolled back into his head.

His body still in shock, refusing to acquiesce to his desperate attempts to get to his brother, Dean saw a shape sprinting from the parking lot, straight towards the murmuring figure of Sue Ann. With a wild cry, the stranger ripped the pendant from Sue Ann's hands and smashed it on the ground.

As the pendant shattered into fragments, the Reaper released his hold on Sam, whose body fell limply on the grass. Dean frantically crawled to his brother's side. "Sammy, Sammy, say something, come on," Dean begged. Placing a hand on his brother's chest, he let out an anguished cry. "Oh god, he's not breathing! Somebody help please!"

The stranger ran over to Sam and Dean, and bent down over Sam, beginning mouth to mouth resuscitation. Dean clutched his brother's hand to his heart, unconsciously holding his breath. "Mom, if you can hear me, please let Sammy come back to me, please," Dean pleaded, not releasing he was speaking aloud. "I need him. I can't lose him. I love him, Mom, and I don't know what I'd do without him. He…he's my faith."

Suddenly Sam coughed, breath beginning to enter his body again. Dean brought Sam's head to his chest, cradling him gently in his arms. "It's gonna be ok, Sammy. I'm right here." A waterfall of tears fell from Dean's relieved eyes, mixing with the blood trails on Sam's face.

"Thank you so much for saving my brother's life. You don't know how much this means to me," Dean said gratefully to the stranger.

"Yes, I do, Dean," John said, his face moving into the light.

"Dad?" Dean asked in shock, staring at his father. "How…what…" A shudder ran through Sam's body, and Dean held on tighter to his unconscious brother.

"Sammy called me, Dean," John said, kneeling by his sons. "Left me the most heartbreaking message I've ever heard in my life." John extended his cell phone, but Dean wouldn't relinquish his hold on Sam. Opening the phone and calling up the message, John placed the phone by Dean's ear.

Fresh tears streamed from Dean's eyes as he heard the anguish in his brother's voice, heard him trying to pretend everything would be alright, heard the tears choking in Sam's throat. "Oh Sammy," Dean murmured, tenderly brushing the hair back from Sam's face.

"I came right away," John said. "I saw you healed, but something didn't seem right, so I stuck around."

'Were you ever going to say anything to us?" Dean demanded, his voice furious. "Were you ever going to tell us you were here?"

"No," John said simply, standing up. "And now I have to go. Take care of each other." Dean stared at his father, but Sam stirring brought all his focus back to his brother. When Dean looked up again, their father was gone.

To Be Continued….


	2. Chapter 2

"Dean!" Sam yelled, sitting bolt upright in an unfamiliar bed. He felt a gentle hand pushing him back onto the bed.

"I'm right here, Sammy," Dean said, his hand still on his brother's shoulder. "You're in a hospital."

"You ok?" Sam asked, his eyes on his brother's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you," Dean said, rubbing his free hand over his tired face. "What the hell were you thinking, Sammy? You could have died!"

"But you wouldn't have." Sam lifted his tube-filled hand and placed it on Dean's shaking hand. "Dean…when I thought you were dying…I…"

"I heard. Sam…Dad played me your voicemail message. He's the one who saved your life." As Sam sat up again, a million questions written over his face, Dean gently pushed him back down again. "The doctors say you need to rest, so God help me Sammy I will make sure you rest." The familiar smirk quickly vanished off Dean's face. "I couldn't take it if you stopped breathing again, ok? So lay down and I'll do my best to tell you what happened."

Nodding slowly, Sam settled back into his pillows, and Dean pulled the blanket back up over him. "Ok," Dean began, "apparently Dad did get your message and came right out. He saw me get healed, but he hung around to make sure everything was actually ok. When you…when you got grabbed by the Reaper…you stopped breathing." Dean's eyes went down to his hands, fumbling with his thumbs, not wanting Sam to see the tears brimming in his eyes.

"I…I was still too weak to do anything, so I screamed for help. This man came running over and gave you mouth to mouth, and you started breathing again. The man was Dad, Sammy. He saved your life."

"Is he here?" Sam asked hopefully, his eyes darting around the room as if his father was only hidden behind the machines or the IV. But Dean shook his head, and the light went out of Sammy's eyes.

"He took off after he saw you were ok," Dean answered, noticing how Sam turned his head away, his eyes wet. The simple heartbreaking turn of Sam's head made Dean decide to tell everything. "Mom was there too, you know. No, I didn't see her," he added quickly as Sam's head spun back around. "But I felt her. I…I don't know if you could call it praying Sammy, but whatever it was, I asked her to make sure you stayed with me and she did."

"You asked her for that?" Sam looked at his brother, seeing the teary eyes mirroring his own. Dean attempted a carefree smirk that fell flat, and settled instead for a nod. "Dean, I…"

"Now now Sammy, before we get too chick flick for my tastes, I have something to distract you," Dean said with a grin, reaching down and pulling a plastic bag out from under his chair. "A little something from the lovely hospital gift shop."

"Dean, you actually got me a present? I think my heart may just stop again," Sam said with a disbelieving laugh, a smile reaching all the way to his eyes.

"Not funny, Sammy," Dean said sternly, holding the bag out of Sam's reach.

"It's Sam, first of all. Second, how come when you make that joke you think its funny, but when I say it, you glare?"

"Cause I'm the funny brother, Sammy, and you should just get used to it. Now do you want your gift or not?" Dean held the bag tantalizingly just out of Sam's eager grasp.

"Yes, Dean, sir, I would like my gift please," Sam answered, fighting to keep a straight face. Dean passed him the bag, and Sam pulled a small piece of smooth metal out. Turning it over, he saw the word FAITH stamped on it in small even letters.

Suddenly words came back to Sam, an echo of his brother's anguished voice pleading, saying, "Mom, if you can hear me, please let Sammy come back to me, please. I need him. I can't lose him. I love him, Mom, and I don't know what I'd do without him. He…he's my faith." _Thank you Mom_, Sam thought to the heavens, then smiled at Dean, choosing to keep the knowledge of his brother's words to himself.

"Dean, it's awesome, thanks. What made you get it for me?" Sam asked, attempting to keep an innocent look on his face, but unable to stop the grin that spread at the thought of his brother's words.

Dean stared at Sam, a sigh escaping his lips. "Sammy, fess up, how much did you hear?"

"I was coming to just as you were talking to Mom, Dean. I just remembered I heard everything you said to her. Sorry," Sam said, and he meant it. He knew that Dean hadn't meant those words for his ears.

"No, it's ok," Dean said, surprising Sam. "I mean…well you know…I…well you know…"

"Know what, Dean?" The same fake innocent look crossed Sam's face, and if the moment hadn't been one of such monumental importance, Sam might have had to laugh at the look on his brother's face as he realized that a chick flick moment was rapidly approaching.

"You're gonna make me say it, aren't you? Even though you heard it once already?" Dean sighed, but he was secretly fighting back a smile, surprising even himself. He actually wanted to have this conversation with Sam.

"Yes, yes I think I am." Sam grinned, but the grin faded as he stared at his brother, wondering if maybe he'd pushed Dean too far, if Dean would actually have this conversation ever.

"Ok, Sammy, have it your way." Dean put his feet up on the side of the bed, his attempt to keep this conversation way more casual than it actually was. "Almost dying twice…having you almost die on me…it made me realize that there are some things I don't say at all, things I should say a lot. And I can't promise I'll say them a lot…or ever again cause I'm me…but I love you."

"I love you too Dean." Starting to laugh while unable to stop crying, Sam settled for a properly mocking tone as he dabbed at his eyes with a corner of the bedsheet. "Oh what a beautiful chick flick moment. Now we should have a tea party, and discuss our feelings, and…"

"Oh shut up Sammy," Dean said, unable to stop laughing or crying himself. He swung his feet off the side of the bed and pulled Sam in for a hug, cradling his brother's head to his chest again, reveling in the now precious sound of the rising and falling of breath. "What, no 'It's Sam, Dean, I'm a grown man thank you.' ?"

"Not this time." Sam tightened his grip on his brother. "I think I'm kind of growing to like that nickname."

"Then I'll have to come up with a new one for you to hate." Dean released his brother, ruffling his hair with a tender hand. "You'll have some time to ponder that. The doctors say you need to stay for observation a few days. You definitely got the brunt end of the creepy Reaper."

"Oh." Sam hated the thought of staying here, but he offered up a smile. "So I guess I'll see you in a few days, huh?"

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked in confusion, staring at Sam.

"Well, I mean, I figured there'd be a case you'd need to work on. I don't expect you to stay here with me." Sam stared at his hands, running his finger over one of the tubes.

"Evil demons can wait for a little while." Dean put his feet back on the bed. "Besides, I believe we've already established I almost get sacrificed if I dare to hunt without my geeky college brother." Sam laughed, a true deep laugh that brought a smile beaming across his face. "Plus, there's a hot nurse here who I think I've convinced to order us a pizza, and I stole the remote from you when you weren't looking. So get used to this, Sammy, cause I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," Sam whispered, but he knew Dean had heard. With a smile, Dean turned on the television. Sam looked down at the Faith rock still cradled in his hand. He was brought out of his reverie by Dean's laugh at some stupid joke made on whatever sitcom they were watching, and Sam laughed too.


End file.
